7 Ways to Improve Your Office Working Environment

Information overload, daily stresses, and rigorous deadlines can put a strain on employees and result in diminished productivity.

Fortunately, improving our working environment doesn’t have to be as expensive, difficult, or time-consuming as many of us think. Here are seven ways to boost productivity and make your workspace work.

Table of Contents:

• Make your office as comfortable as possible.
• Inject some colour into your workspace.
• Make sure your workspace is properly illuminated.
• Declutter your workspace and go paper-free.
• Add some character to your office.
• Use scents to create a positive vibe in your workspace.
• Liven up your workspace with plants.
• Bonus tip: Improving remote working environments

Make your office as comfortable as possible.

Comfort is king when looking to create positive, vibrant workspaces that promote productivity.

Start with the furniture – go for something strong and durable enough to stand the everyday wear-and-tear yet comfortable and practical enough to reduce the chances of any health problems resulting from constant use of non-ergonomic office furnishings.

Photos of family and pets are sure to make any office space look more homely, and so are any other personal items that make the job easier.

Even the smallest of changes go a long way in creating an inspiring and motivating working environment.

Inject some colour into your workspace.

Something as simple as swapping up the dominant colours in the office can make a big difference when it comes to our mood.

As colours are connected to our emotions, they ought to be used wisely throughout the space and applied according to the atmosphere we’re trying to create.

For instance, the green and blue hues used in workspaces will boost productivity and sharpen the focus. Yellow can help with creativity as it tends to be very stimulating, red is great for spaces where there’s a lot of physical activity, while neutral hues tend to be calming and have a soothing psychological effect.

If painting your office walls isn’t an option, you can always use artwork or office accessories to inject some colour into your workspace.

Make sure your workspace is properly illuminated.

It’s no secret that the amount of light we are exposed to can make or break our day.

Gloomy spaces don’t do much for our mood, and lack of light can be detrimental to our productivity.

Fortunately, an optimal level of illumination can be ensured by cooperating with energy-efficient and innovative brands for LED design and incorporating human-centric lighting solutions in the workspaces.

Since LED lights imitate natural light, they are bound to boost employees’ energy and productivity levels, while also being the perfect tool for utilizing the immense power of light in cases where sourcing natural light is difficult.

Declutter your workspace and go paper-free.

Cluttered desks covered in piles of documents, reports, and superfluous office supplies don’t make for a healthy, productive workspace.

In fact, messy desks can pose an obstacle to productivity as more time is spent searching for important information and documents.

What’s more, this can lead to increased stress, reduced concentration, and an immense waste of time.

Try to keep your desk tidy, decluttered, paper-free and organised as much as possible. Even if it means taking ten minutes every day to sort things out and organise all the documents, you’ll be glad you did it.

Add some character to your office.

If you’re looking to give your office space a makeover, consider adding some character to it.

Think about what your business stands for, its values, and the atmosphere you’re trying to create.

Businesses that work with the entertainment industry can benefit from adding posters and artwork throughout the space as a way of showcasing who they’re working with.

If you just started a start-up business that craves spaces for creativity, consider introducing areas where team members can work together, brainstorm, and come up with some great ideas.

How you choose to represent your business will say a lot about you, so make sure to give it some thought.

Use scents to create a positive vibe in your workspace.

Stimulating our sense of smell can be another great way to increase our performance at work.

According to research, certain smells can reduce the number of employee typos.

A study found that scents such as lemon, lavender, and jasmine stimulate brain activity and cause employees to be more productive overall, with lemon being the most stimulating scent, reducing the number of errors by 54%.

This goes to show how powerful aromatherapy can actually be. The best part? You can create your own DIY air freshener simply by mixing water with a few drops of essential oils of your choice.

Liven up your workspace with plants.

Last but not least, another way to improve your office working environment would be to introduce some greenery.

Adding just a couple of plants in your office can make a world of difference. Not only do they make for effective work office decor, but they also help cleanse the air by absorbing contaminants.

Plants are also known to boost productivity, lower stress levels, and help create a sense of well-being in employees. Go for potted plants and make sure they’re low-maintenance – some of them can be very forgiving and don’t require too much care in order to be able to thrive.

Even the smallest of changes can significantly improve how we function in our working environment.

With these seven tips in mind, you’ll be able to create a workspace that promotes positivity and productivity, which will help you create a can-do mindset and ensure you do your best work.

Bonus tip: Improving remote working environments

It is no secret that many workers have moved towards remote and hybrid work, and this trend is here to stay. There are many great benefits to working from home, but one of the biggest challenges is maintaining a strict work-life balance while remaining healthy and productive.

Many people who work from home find themselves booking extra trips to the physiotherapist because they are not equipped to improve their posture while doing so. Investing in great ergonomic furniture can help you avoid serious health problems in the future and keep you feeling focused at work. Making a small investment in smart lighting can make a big difference to your remote workspace also.

On the more social side, working remotely can feel challenging when you spend a lot of time alone, especially in creative roles. However, staying connected in a remote environment is not just a luxury, it's a necessity for your mental health. If your workplace utilises Slack, create some social channels to have light-hearted conversations with your team. If you need help or inspiration from outside the workplace, remote working groups on social media or live groups on Clubhouse can help get creative ideas flowing.